vantwoud



(No Model.)

H. VAN ALTENA & v. 0. 'VANTWOUD,

BREAST PUMP.

No. 356,266. Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

NESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS;

N PETERS, Phala-Lvlhcgmphen Washinglon.

UNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY VAN ALTEN A AND VICTOR G. VANflWOUD, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

BREAST-PUMP.

SFECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.356,266, dated January18, 1887.

Application filed November 20, 1886. Serial No. 219,532. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY VAN ALTENA and VICTOR G. VANTWOUD, both ofBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Breast-Pumps, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in breast-pumps, and has for itsobject to provide a convenient connection with the mouth-piece andvacuum-bulb of the exhaust-bulb and its attached flexible tube, and alsoto provide external means of destroying the vacuum of the pump, therebygently releasing the same from the flesh.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly sectional, of our pump; and Fig. 2,a longitudinal vertical section through the coupling-piece thereof. Fig.3 is a plan view of a modified'form of coupling, illustrating theapplication of two flexible valvular covers.

In the application of our invention the ordinary form of vacuum-bulb, A,is employed, having the usual mouthpiece, a. The said vacuum-bulb,however, instead of being provided, as heretofore, with a verticalintegral neck for connection with the flexible tube B, is constructedwith an integral neck, 0, having a bulge, 0, formed therein, adapted toextend, preferably, in a curve line in an opposite direction to and insubstantially the same horizontal plane with the mouth-piece a. If founddesirable, however, the said neck 0 may have an inclination in otherdirections. By means of the aforesaid curved neck the flexible tube B,which is slid over the bulge c to an engagement therewith at one end, isprevented from kinking and consequent leakage.

An air-bulb, D, is connected with the flexible tube B, and through thesaid tube with the erably smaller, air-vent, is, having communicationwith the flexible tube B, and incase the said vents h and k with anannular valvular covering, F, preferably of rubber. The object of thisconstruction is, that as the air-bulb D is compressed the air.will, asthe valve ascends, find an exit through the vent h beneath the valvularcovering F, while as the bulb D is allowed to expand, creating thereby avacuum in the glass bulb A, and the valve finds its seat, a vacuum willalso be created in the vent h, the suction created thereby tending tobind the valvular covering F tightly over both the vents h and it andprevent any ingress of air. When operation with the pump has beencompleted, acute pain is often attendant upon withdrawing themouth-piece from connection with the tender skin. To obviate this is theprime object of our invention, and is readily accomplished by simplyraising the valvular covering F with the thumb from over the vent k,which is preferably situated as near the outer end of the said coveringas possible, whereupon air is admitted through the said vent and thevacuum in the bulb A destroyed, permitting the mouthpiece a to gentlydisengage itself.

NVe generally designate the situation of the vent k, which we preferablymake in line with the thumb when the pump is positioned for use, by across or other symbol stamped opposite said vent in color on the tube B.

- In Fig. 3 we illustrate a coupling having two annular recesses formedupon its face. In this construction the vents may be made in the sameplane and upon the same side, as independent valvular covering may beemployed.

lVe are aware that breast-pumps have been made with an ingress-openingin the vacuumbulb and an egress-opening in thevcoupling,

having attached thereto an externally-accessiular covering adapted toencompass said vents, 1o ble releasing-valve, and we do not claim suchsubstantially as shown and described, and for construction. the purposeherein set forth.

Having thus described our invention what HENRY VAN ALTENA. 5 we clann asnew and desire to secure by Leti Y T ters Patent VICTOR C. X ANTWOUD.

In a breast-pump, the combination, with the Vitnesses:

valve-coupling having an ingress and egress L. C. VANTWOUD, vent formedtherein, of a flexible annular valv- GEO. G. BLANCIC.

